FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a simplified example wireless mesh communications network which comprises a plurality of network nodes 10 interconnected by bidirectional wireless communications links 12. The network nodes 10 operate to communicate with one another, for the transfer of communications data therebetween. This type of network is known as a “mesh” network because of the multiple connections between network nodes that defines a virtual mesh of communications links 12.
Routing of data packets in a wireless mesh network is affected by many factors, including wireless link quality. This is particularly the case with outdoor networks in which the link quality can be affected by many different outdoor factors such as weather or other signal attenuating and blocking factors. In addition, low latency and low packet drop are highly desirable in such networks, since consumers desire high quality, high speed services, particularly for the delivery of online content over the wireless network. In a large wireless mesh network, reporting and control messages can take an undesirably long time to be communicated to and from a central network controller. This is a significant problem in high speed millimeter wave wireless networks, such as those operating in the 60 GHz waveband. In such high speed networks, control decisions need to be taken quickly in order to avoid packet drop and increased latency.
Existing network control schemes make use of central controllers to determine forwarding for data packets and groups of data packets across the network. In wireless networks in particular, high latency of such central control of routing can cause increased data packet drop, and associated resending and increased latency of the data transfer itself.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a technique that can overcome the problems of the existing control and routing methods, suitable for use in such high speed wireless communications networks.